In most catchments, water resources are influenced by a more or less complex set of external factors, which are both natural and anthropogenic. At the same time, water management strategies which take into account both the requirements of different users and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems have to rely on sufficient information on water quantity and quality. This includes knowledge about their present state, observed and predicted trends, as well as an understanding of the pressures and impacts of current uses and (potential) interventions. Ideally, a monitoring concept would consider the various data needs in an integrated way, ensuring the availability of all relevant data while minimizing the involved cost, equipment and manpower. The Kharaa River Basin, located in northern Mongolia, offers a unique setting for establishing and testing such a concept: While surface and ground water quantities are naturally limited and several, partially competing, water uses exist, low population densities mean that the absolute number of stressors is limited and their spatial distribution is distinct. This facilitates their identification and allows for the conceptualization of a monitoring approach which takes into account ecological considerations, the needs of relevant water users and major stressors. Ultimately, the implementation of such a monitoring concept can function as the backbone for an integrated water resources management (IWRM).